STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- FORT WADSWORTH -- Rather than sit around and complain, patrons and staff at Danny Blaine’s tavern decided to do something about a vacant spit of land behind the building at 1384 Bay St. that had become a dumping ground for trash and discarded items.

A group of volunteers, spearheaded by Blaine and retired NYPD sergeant Paul Casey of South Beach, came together to clean and rake the tiny patch and turn it into a colorful “pocket garden.”

The tiny garden, accessible by a flight of steps at the corner of Evelyn Street, has drawn compliments from neighbors, as well as patrons of Danny Blaine’s who enjoy the establishment’s back-yard patio.

“We brought in some color. Now customers come in and if they sit outside on the patio, they have a little view,” said the tavern’s namesake, Blaine, who has run the place for more than 20 years.

Blaine credits Casey, a long-time friend and patron, for getting the project off the ground.

“I got tired of looking at all this trash and garbage, so I decided to clean it all up, and after I did that, everyone came on board for the garden,” explained Casey.

The band of volunteers grew to include manager Tom Rocca of Midland Beach; Maria Cruz of Grant City, a chef at the tavern; employee Carol Blake of Huguenot, and Rosebank residents Cody Sheehy and John Covino.

Funded by Blaine, the group purchased and planted a variety of bulbs, shrubs and annuals, including tall, stately red cannas, begonias, impatiens, marigolds, snap dragons and astilbe. Come fall, they plan to replace the annuals with mums and other seasonal plants.